The Greenland-Iceland-UK gap in defence

UK Defence Journal editor and defence analyst George Allison said the government’s response followed a familiar pattern in that it spoke about national capability rather than details.

He said government was reluctant to give any public commitment that could “be interpreted as signalling a capability gap” or invite “adversaries to draw conclusions about where the UK believes it is weak”.

However, there is no doubt that “Shetland’s strategic relevance is increasing” but “the frontline for the region is in the ‘grey zone’, rather than a return to Cold War-style military presence”.